| Connecting with employment > |
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USEL, Lloyds TSB Foundation for Northern Ireland and Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education's Centre for applied Research and Development have joined forces to promote work opportunities for disabled people by launching a new project aptly named 'Connect-Ability'.
Lloyds TSB Foundation funded the user-led project that will seek to tackle attitudinal barriers that impede disabled people break out of the Social Security benefit system and enter training and paid employment. The Connect-Ability project, with the assistance of BIFHE's research centre, will enable research to be undertaken to build an informed analysis of barriers and opportunities of disabled peoples experiences of seeking and obtaining work and what it means to them.
It is intended that this research will act as a catalyst to attract more disabled people to consider employment opportunities, build self-confidence and self-esteem, enable disabled people contribute more fully in their communities and raise awareness among employers of the benefits of employing people with health conditions or disabilities. Over 1000 disabled people per annum are in employment through programmes operated by USEL and they will have an opportunity to contribute their views on the positive aspects of working and the attitudinal barriers they have faced.
Over 400 companies will have the opportunity to feedback their views on employing a disabled person. the research findings of experiences will be disseminated to over 1000 Northern Ireland businesses and community groups, in particular to groups with a specific interest in disability matters, and will be the focus of a media campaign to connect disabled people with employers. |
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| Gwen Mills |
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